NOTICE: I replaced this case with a larger touratech tail bag in 2008.
A posting on the GS mailing list by H. Marc Lewis pointed out a recent change to his R1200GS: the addition of a Pelican case to hold laptop and camera. That link cost me some money.
I wanted to keep my stock luggage rack and didn’t care about carrying a laptop, so went with a Pelican 1200 case (just big enough to hold my Canon Digital Rebel XT with 17-85 lens and speedlight) mounted on a BestRest R1200GS PillionPlate.
The Pelican case was drilled at 4 spots on the bottom in the center of the 4 reinforcing bosses. After drilling the case I positioned it on the pillion plate by eye, marking the pillion plate for drilling. Once the pillion plate was drilled I used M 5x22 hardware that were originally used to hold an RT windshield. I had some plastic/rubber washer like domes that came with an Ortlieb dry bag I got for my R69S. They will keep any moisture that might come up the screw holes out of the case.
Bottom of pillion plate
Pelican 1200 on plate
Mounting hardware in case
Case with foam on bike
Case on bike, closed
The only “gotcha” was to make sure that the case position didn’t put the mounting holes on top the rivets that hold the plate’s mounting fingers to the plate.
2008-12-03
The Pelican case was great, but… extra lenses or any other photographic equipment more than my remote and a filter wouldn’t fit. After seeing a friend use a tail pack for his camera with good results I decided to do the same. The Pelican was replaced with a Touratech rear seat/deck bag.
Inside, almost 3 years later
Bottom foam held up fine
Internal foam
Unused lock
Mounting plate bottom
The case is a bit dirty and the internal foam could be replaced, the result of changing the internal layout a few times too many. The case and plate are otherwise as functional as they were when new. I never once used the lock.